Insanity
by Rhea's Teleplays
Summary: Something is making the crew all hallucinate about their worst fears. -This is a script-
1. Teaser

ENTERPRISE

"Insanity"

TEASER

FADE IN:

INT. MENTAL INSTITUTE, SAN FRANCISCO - DAY

Two-dozen patients sit or wander around the room, some talking to themselves. There are a couple nurses and orderlies working with the patients.

Reed sits between two chairs and an end table that has been turned on its side for 'cover'. He's working a weapon that only he sees and is preparing for an enemy attack, muttering orders to his subordinates.

Archer steps into the room, stopping the orderly to speak to him. The orderly points at Reed and Archer walks up to Reed. He crouches down, watching Reed for a few minutes. Archer is older with graying hair and wrinkles.

ARCHER  
Malcolm?

Reed doesn't respond. He continues fighting off the attack in his imagination. Archer stands, steps over the table and sits down beside Reed, watching him for several minutes.

ARCHER  
Who are you fighting today,  
Malcolm? Suliban? Klingons,  
maybe?  
(beat)  
Humans?

Reed doesn't respond to him. He continues giving orders and fighting. Archer rests his head against the wall, looking up at the lights.

ARCHER  
This isn't you, Malcolm. This is  
just... crazy!

Reed grows suddenly still and silent. Archer looks at Reed.

ARCHER  
Malcolm?

Reed looks up, meeting Archer's eyes.

REED  
(sing-song)  
Crazy? I was crazy once. They  
locked me in a padded room. I  
lived there. I died there. They  
buried me where the flowers grew.  
The flowers grew upside down.  
Tickled my nose. Nearly drove me  
crazy! Crazy? I was crazy once...

Reed continues with the chant. Archer sighs, standing. He steps over the table, leaving Reed to his madman chants. Reed looks up, seeing the door open and through it he can see the bridge and the entire bridge crew. He begins to tremble.

REED  
(frightened)  
Captain Archer...  
(beat)  
Help me.

Reed wakes to find himself entombed in water. He thrashes at water until he breaks the surface.

INT. WATER FILLED OUBLIETTE

There is no light in the oubliette and Reed can't find a bottom. He lays his head back so his face is out of the water and screams.

FADE OUT.

END OF TEASER


	2. Act One

ACT ONE

FADE IN:

(NOTE: Episode credits fall over opening scenes.)

INT. AREIBYL 5 ORBITAL STATION - DAY

A Ulio man runs through the crowded promenade. He is less than four feet, wiry and thin as a sapling. He has heavy folds of skin across his forehead that is partially covered by unruly white hair. He's wearing military fatigues of an alien design and ranks bars are sewn to the collar.

He glances back at the two Klingons chasing him. The Ulio quickly loses them in the crowd. He turns into a docking tunnel and runs onto Enterprise.

INT. HALL

He slows to a stop in the hall, looking around him.

SECURITY GUARD (O.C.)  
STOP!

The Ulio man spins around, watching two security guards running toward him. He turns and runs away from them. He comes to another hall and slides to a stop when he sees two more security guards running toward him. He whirls in a circle, muttering in his own language. He spots the lift control panel and runs to it, hitting all the buttons. The door opens and he dashes onto the lift.

INT. LIFT

The Ulio man presses a button with shaking fingers. He mutters, talks and hums to himself, an occasional hyena laugh escaping.

INT. HALL

The door opens and he runs into a hall with crew quarter doors on either side. The Ulio man races from door to door. He runs into Hoshi's quarters.

INT. HOSHI'S QUARTERS

The Ulio stops, staring at a small tranquility waterfall that runs over marble sized pebbles.

ULIO  
Dartops!

He searches his pockets and retrieves a metallic black MARBLE that he places with the others. He pirouettes and half skips to the computer terminal in the corner.

ULIO  
Ship. Ship. Name of ship!

The Ulio pulls up the information.

ON THE MONITOR

U.S.S. Enterprise NX-01

BACK TO SCENE

ULIO  
Enterprise! Enterprise!  
ENTERPRISE NX-01!

The Ulio man twirls around and dashes out of Hoshi's quarters.

SECURITY GUARD  
STOP DAMN IT!

The Ulio man stops for a second, laughs hysterically and runs away from the man again. The two men run after the Ulio, but lose him when he gets on another lift.

CUT TO:

INT. DOCKIN TUNNELS

The Ulio runs headlong through the door and crashes into TRIP, ARCHER and T'POL. The force knocks Archer off balance and he falls back against the wall. Trip grabs the Ulio man's arm before he can run away. The Ulio begins screeching at Trip in his own language.

TRIP  
Hey! Hey. Calm down. I ain't  
gonna hurt you. What are you  
doing on our ship?

The four security guards run up to the three and stop.

SECURITY GUARD  
(to Archer)  
That little guy moves like a  
mouse, sir!

ARCHER  
(to Security Guard)  
What was he doing?

SECURITY GUARD  
I don't know. We know he went  
into some quarters, but nothing  
seems out of the ordinary. I  
ordered a thorough scan.

Archer steps around to face the Ulio man, watching him swing and screech at Trip. The Ulio's arms, however, are shorter than Trip's and Trip has him held at arms length so he's only swinging at air. The scene makes Archer smile.

ARCHER  
T'Pol, see if Hoshi's back. I  
want to know what he was doing on Enterprise.

T'Pol turns and stops.

T'POL  
Captain.

Archer looks up, finding two Klingons standing behind him. The Ulio man looks around Archer, sees they are the same two that were chasing him and the volume of his screeching increases.

KLINGON  
This is our prisoner. Turn him over.

TRIP  
I've never heard of Klingons  
taking prisoners before. You ever  
hear of that, Sub-Commander?

The Ulio becomes still, looking back and forth from the Klingons to Trip.

T'POL  
No, Commander, I have not.

He suddenly lets out an ear piercing scream that momentarily paralyzes everyone in the immediate area. Trip lets him go to cover his ears and the Ulio man runs off. The Klingons chase after the Ulio.

TRIP  
HEY!

Trip starts to run after the Klingons.

ARCHER  
Trip.

Trip stops, looking back at Archer.

ARCHER  
He obviously didn't understand we  
were trying to help him. There's  
nothing you can do. Let them go.

TRIP  
(under breath)  
Damn Klingons.

ARCHER  
(smiles)  
I'm hungry. Come on.

The three walk onto Enterprise and step onto a lift. The security guards follow them back on board.

CUT TO:

FADE IN:

INT. HOSHI'S QUARTERS

Hoshi is sleeping soundly in her bunk when her ALARM goes off. She makes a disgusted face accompanied by muttering.

HOSHI  
Computer. Snooze.

The ALARM stops and Hoshi closes her eyes. Five minutes later the ALARM goes off again. Hoshi rolls onto her back with a heavy sigh. She pushes the covers down, rubbing her eyes

HOSHI  
(agitated)  
Computer. Alarm off.

Hoshi gets up and turns on the lights. She begins to stretch and stops, looking at her waterfall. She walks over and picks up the MARBLE with a smile.

HOSHI  
Commander Tucker... I'm going to  
get even for this!

Hoshi finishes getting ready for her day. She picks up the MARBLE, giving it a toss as she exits her quarters.

INT. HALL

Hoshi strolls along the hall, greeting other crewmen as she passes them.

T'POL (O.C.)  
Good morning, Ensign.

Hoshi greets T'Pol with a smile as she falls into stride with her.

HOSHI  
Morning, T'Pol. How'd you sleep?

T'POL  
Well. And you?

HOSHI  
Decent, but I had some strange dreams.

Hoshi tosses the MARBLE up in the air.

T'POL  
What were they about?

HOSHI  
I don't remember most of them,  
but I remember I couldn't  
translate something.

T'POL  
Do you worry that this may happen?

HOSHI  
Not really. There are worse  
things out here than that.

Hoshi tosses the MARBLE again.

T'POL  
What is the item you have?

HOSHI  
(grins)  
I think Commander Tucker is  
pulling a prank on me. I found it  
in my water fountain this  
morning. Looks like something out  
of engineering.

T'POL  
Commander Tucker's humor is interesting.

HOSHI  
Interesting ha-ha? Or interesting peculiar?

Hoshi looks down when she feels the two halves of the marble move. She looks up as the hallway melts away.

CUT TO:

INT. BRIDGE (HALLUCINATION)

The bridge is filled with smoke. There's a fire behind the engineering console. Trip and Archer are lying dead on the floor. Mayweather is sitting at helm, bleeding heavily from a head wound. Hoshi is working controls, straddling an unconscious T'Pol on the floor.

HOSHI  
We're losing atmosphere  
everywhere, Travis!

MAYWEATHER  
Should I?

HOSHI  
Should you what?

MAYWEATHER  
Start the self-destruct sequence.

HOSHI  
You want to destroy Enterprise?

MAYWEATHER  
Captain Archer wouldn't want them  
getting his ship, Hoshi. You know that.

HOSHI  
Maybe you haven't noticed,  
Travis, but there isn't much of  
Enterprise left for them to get.

The hull is blown out above them. Hoshi grabs her throat as the oxygen is sucked out of her lungs and she freezes to death instantly. Moments later Enterprise explodes.

INT. HALL

T'Pol is kneeling next to Hoshi, trying to keep her still as she acts out her hallucination. Phlox runs up and kneels down, setting his case beside him.

PHLOX  
What's happened?

T'POL  
I do not know. We were talking  
and she collapsed. She has been  
talking about destroying Enterprise.

Hoshi stops breathing. Phlox grabs a scanner from his bag. He turns back to Hoshi as she gasps for a breath.

PHLOX  
Hoshi?

Hoshi screams in pain, grabbing her stomach and rolling to her side. Phlox scans Hoshi.

PHLOX  
Hoshi.

HOSHI  
Make the pain stop! Make it stop!

PHLOX  
Ensign, you aren't injured.

Hoshi begins crying, appearing to be growing weaker. Phlox scans her again. He shakes his head.

T'POL  
What is it?

PHLOX  
Her body is reacting as if she's  
going into hypovolemic shock. I  
can't explain it.

Hoshi closes her eyes and stops breathing. Phlox waits this time. Hoshi starts breathing again and begins screaming about pain when she regains consciousness.

Hoshi's hand relaxes when she 'dies' the second time. The MARBLE rolls out of her hand, hits the baseboard and rolls down the hall. It stops in a corner made by the wall and an access panel that wasn't fitted on properly.

PHLOX (O.C.)  
Sub-Commander, get a stretcher.

T'Pol jogs down the hall.

CUT TO:

INT. HALL - LATER

Trip walks down the hall whistling. He spots the marble as he kneels down. He picks it up, examines it and drops it in a pocket. Trip pulls the loose fitting panel off and begins working inside.

CUT TO:

INT. SICKBAY - LATER

Archer enters Sickbay, hearing Hoshi screaming in pain. He walks up to the bio-bed. Reed is standing on the opposite side, holding her other hand. Hoshi looks up at Archer.

HOSHI  
(whimper)  
Make it stop. Please make it  
stop, Captain.

Archer takes her hand, resisting wincing when her hand tightens painfully around his. Hoshi closes her eyes.

PHLOX (O.C.)  
Captain.

Phlox walks up to the bed, giving Hoshi a shot from a hypospray.

ARCHER  
What are you giving her?

PHLOX  
Something to help her relax.

Hoshi's grip relaxes around Archer's. Archer follows Phlox back to a monitor. Phlox sits down, resuming work.

ARCHER  
Do you know what's wrong with her, Doc?

PHLOX  
Not entirely. I've isolated a  
drug of some sort in her blood.  
It's opium based, but it's  
breaking down so fast that I  
haven't been able to identify it.

ARCHER  
You're not insinuating that she  
took something intentionally, are you?

PHLOX  
No, Captain. If anything she most  
likely took it unbeknownst to  
her. I know she was with several  
ladies that visited a rather  
shady establishment at Areibyl 5.

ARCHER  
Have you checked her friends?

PHLOX  
Yes. None of them had this drug  
in their blood. And as fast as  
it's breaking down she should be  
back to herself in four hours.  
I'm going to hold her for  
observation over night however.

Archer nods. He lets out a tired sigh.

ARCHER  
We'll be avoiding Ariebyl 5 for  
yet another reason. The parts we  
purchased aren't worth the  
materials they're made out of.  
Alert me if she gets worse, Doc.

Archer departs. Phlox turns to the monitor above Hoshi's bed.

FADE OUT.

End ACT ONE


	3. Act Two

ACT TWO

FADE IN:

INT. DETENTION CENTER ROOM - DAY

Two Klingons drag the Ulio man into a dark interrogation room and throw him on the floor. The Ulio man leaps to his feet, crouching and facing the two Klingons. He grins and twitches, his fingers moving like they're working some device.

KLINGON  
Where is the device?

ULIO  
I hid it!

The Ulio man laughs and claps his hands.

ULIO  
I hid it! You'll never find it!  
You'll never use it on anyone  
ever again.

KLINGON  
(increasing aggravation)  
Where did you hide it?

The Ulio man leaps to his feet and hops like he's doing hop-scotch with his hands held behind his back, chanting as he hops:

ULIO  
I hid it! I hid it! They told me  
to hide it! They told me not to tell.

KLINGON  
They who?

The Ulio man stops, leaning close to the Klingon.

ULIO  
The ones that aren't seeing  
things, hearing things. They knew  
I'd get out and they said hide it  
and never ever tell. They told me  
to destroy the device when you weren't looking.

The Ulio man laughs wildly as he begins to hopscotch, chanting again in his own language. The two Klingons look at one another. The Klingon grabs the Ulio man by the back of his clothes, yanks him back and gives him a shot with a hypospray.

ULIO  
NO!  
(grabs the injection spot)  
No!  
(sinks to his knees)  
Not again.

The Klingon grabs the Ulio man's chin and looks the Ulio in the eyes. The Ulio's eyes can't focus on the face in front of him.

KLINGON  
I can make it stop. But not until  
you tell me where you hid the device.

The Klingon lets the Ulio go. The man falls, curling into a fetal position.

ULIO  
(whimpers)  
Saritops. They're coming!

KLINGON  
Tell me where the device is and  
I'll make them go away.

The Ulio man closes his eyes tight. The Klingon grabs the Ulio man by the arms, yanks him up, and slams him against a wall.

KLINGON  
TELL ME WHERE IT IS NOW!

The Ulio man opens his eyes, staring into the Klingon's eye. For a moment he appears sane.

ULIO  
Corporal Artimiq. Patrol Unit  
forty-five. Rank number twelve-nine-L-six.

The Klingon tosses him across the room with an angry growl. The Ulio lands in a heap, screaming when a giant mosquito creature attacks him.

INT. CAPTAIN'S READY ROOM

Archer yawns. He looks up when his doorbell beeps.

ARCHER  
Come in.

The door opens and Trip steps in. He is rolling the MARBLE from hand to hand, a movement that briefly catches Archer's attention.

TRIP  
What are you doing, Captain?

ARCHER  
Trying to explain to my stomach  
why I'm still working at twenty-two  
hundred. The conversation's  
rather one sided.

Trip laughs. Archer crosses his ready room and places data disks in his safe. Archer returns to his terminal.

TRIP  
The steak is good I hear. T'Pol  
was complaining about the smell --  
course, Vulcan's don't complain,  
right? I swear she's going to  
sprout long ears and whiskers one  
day with all those vegetables she eats, Captain.  
(beat)  
You do know all this is going to  
be here tomorrow, right?

ARCHER  
Never know what'll happen  
tomorrow, Trip.

Archer stands, puts another data disk in the safe and closes the door.

ARCHER  
But my stomach's siding with you. Shall we?

Trip leads the way out of the room and across the bridge, to the lift.

INT. LIFT

The two men step on and Trip presses a button. He turns to Archer.

TRIP  
(teasing)  
So now you're saying you think  
space is dangerous?

Archer looks at him.

ARCHER  
That's not a joking matter today,  
Trip. Not with Hoshi's experience  
and bad engine parts.

Trip becomes serious, nodding. He suddenly twists his face into a hideous scowl.

TRIP  
(really bad pirate voice)  
These 'ere oceans are leagues  
deep now, swabbie. There's  
creatures in these 'ere waters  
that are the most hideous and  
dangerous y'll ever see!

Archer starts laughing. The lift stops and opens and the two men exit.

INT. HALL

The two men start walking down the hall.

TRIP  
(continuing his act)  
In one foul swoop they can take  
ye'r head off and the sirens'll  
sing ya onto the c'ral reefs,  
killin' all hands aboard! Heed  
the ocean there, swabbie, she's  
not a woman ya want to be  
presumin' ta know, boy!

Archer has to stop walking he's laughing so hard.

Trip grins, tossing the MARBLE again. His hand closes around it and he feels the two halves turn. He looks down at his hand and the hall becomes starlit blackness.

CUT TO:

EXT. SPACE (HALLUCINATION)

Trip is in an EV suit. Enterprise is in the distance, but it is close enough he can see the ship has a large hole in one side.

TRIP  
(panicked)  
There has to be something you can do, Captain!

ARCHER'S COM VOICE  
No, Trip. You're too far away and  
the engines are off line. The explosion--

TRIP  
A shuttle pod. Send a shuttle pod!

Trip looks over his shoulder at the gas giant planet that's getting closer to him as he's pulled in by the gravitational pull.

ARCHER'S COM VOICE  
You know the math in that, Trip.  
You'll be too far into the  
atmosphere by the time it gets there.

Trip's breath is growing shorter and shaky. He looks back at Enterprise.

TRIP  
I don't wanna die like this!

There is silence. Trip closes his eyes. He looks down at his arm, watching the flashing display. The readings indicate that the jet pack he's wearing is malfunctioning and he's venting oxygen.

ARCHER'S COM VOICE  
(quiet)  
I'm sorry, Trip. I am so sorry.

Trip glances back at the planet.

TRIP  
T'Pol?

T'POL'S COM VOICE  
Yes, Commander.

TRIP  
This gonna hurt?

T'POL'S COM VOICE  
Yes.

TRIP  
And if I just opened my helmet  
and... Would that hurt?

T'POL'S COM VOICE  
It would be instantaneous.

TRIP  
Would it hurt?

T'POL'S COM VOICE  
I cannot say.

ARCHER'S COM VOICE  
Trip... no.

Trip reaches up, unfastens his helmet and pulls it off.

CUT TO:

INT. HALL

Archer is kneeling by Trip, yelling at him and trying to rouse him from his hallucination. Phlox runs up with his case in hand. Trip's hand drops and relaxes when he goes into cardiac arrest. The MARBLE rolls away unnoticed.

The MARBLE hits the baseboard and bounces down the hall. It rolls across the hall, ricochets off the opposite wall and comes to a stop in the crack of a door and the door frame.

The MARBLE rolls inside when Reed opens the door.

INT. ARCHER'S QUARTERS

Reed sets two PADDS down on a desk. The MARBLE comes to rest in the corner the desk and the wall make. Reed stops, crouching to pat Porthos on the head when the dog runs up to him.

Reed stands and leaves. Porthos trots over to the MARBLE, sniffs it and then returns to his bed.

INT. SICKBAY

Archer is sitting on a stool, watching Trip strain against the restraints, pleading not to be left to die alone. Reed stands next to the bio-bed and looks worried. Archer looks at Doctor Phlox sitting at his desk.

ARCHER  
What's wrong with him, Doc?

PHLOX  
As far as I can tell, he's has  
come in contact with the same  
drug that caused Ensign Sato's hallucinations.

ARCHER  
How is that possible? We left  
Areibyl 5 three days ago.

PHLOX  
I don't know. That's as much of a  
mystery to me as it is to you.

ARCHER  
Are you sure it's not a virus?

PHLOX  
Yes, Captain.

ARCHER  
Have you done brain scans? Maybe--

Phlox turns, looking back at Archer with a stern expression.

ARCHER  
Sorry. I don't mean to tell you how to do your job.

PHLOX  
I appreciate that, Captain.

Archer stands up.

ARCHER  
Call me as soon as he comes out of it.

PHLOX  
You'll be the first to know, Captain.

Archer leaves Sickbay to return to his quarters.

CUT TO:

INT. ARCHER'S QUARTERS - MOMENTS LATER

Archer walks into his quarters, smiling when Porthos runs up to him. He crouches down, scratching the dog's ears.

Archer stands and changes into a pair of shorts and a T-shirt and goes into his bathroom. Porthos trots in and drops the MARBLE on the floor. Archer looks down at it and then his dog.

ARCHER  
(over a mouthful of toothpaste)  
What is that?

Porthos waits in anticipation for Archer to throw it for him. Archer spits out the toothpaste.

ARCHER  
I'm not throwing that for you. Go  
get your ball. Go on. Get your ball.

Porthos leaves. Archer finishes brushing his teeth and picks up the MARBLE. He walks to his bed and falls back on it. Porthos jumps onto the bed with a ball.

Archer takes the ball and tosses it. He holds the MARBLE up, looking at it. He sees the two halves move and sees something silver snap out. Archer looks up to find himself on the bridge.

INT. BRIDGE (HALLUCINATION)

Archer rises from the Captain's chair, staring at a black hole on the view monitor.

T'POL  
We're trapped in the gravitational  
pull of the black hole, Captain.

MAYWEATHER  
What do I do? Captain, what do I do?

Archer is frozen in fear.

T'POL  
Captain, your orders?

Archer doesn't respond.

TRIP  
We never shoulda challenged them, Captain.

Archer looks at Trip.

ARCHER  
What?

TRIP  
Them aliens. We never shoulda  
challenged them. We were out  
gunned. Why didn't you listen to  
Malcolm? Travis tried to avoid  
this black hole, but we can't  
maneuver so hot at warp five. You  
should have known that. You  
should have listened to T'Pol's  
warning before we jumped to warp.  
Why didn't you listen to any of us?

ARCHER  
I did. We were under attack. What  
else were we supposed to do?

MAYWEATHER  
What do we do? There has to be  
something we can do.

TRIP  
Why didn't you listen to us?

ARCHER  
I did!

His crew suddenly surrounds Archer. They are angry and shouting harsh insults.

T'POL  
Your pride and your prejudice of  
Vulcans has caused this, Jonathan  
Archer. You've condemned us all  
to death because of it.

ARCHER  
(defensive)  
I don't have anything against you, T'Pol.

T'POL  
Am I not a Vulcan? Do you not  
have a deep rooted hate for  
Vulcans in general?

ARCHER  
I don't hate Vulcans!

T'POL  
That is unlikely.

REED  
How could you make such a large  
tactical error, Jonathan? You  
knew we were no match for them.

TRIP  
(angry, yelling)  
You're pathetic, Jonathan. You've  
tried getting us killed more  
times than I can count and now  
you've done succeeded.

Archer panics, trying to get away from his crew and their dead eyes and hateful words.

EXT. SPACE

Enterprise is being pulled into the black hole, visually getting longer and slimmer and growing redder the further into the event horizon it's pulled.

FADE OUT.

END OF ACT TWO


	4. Act Three

ACT THREE

INT. BRIDGE

T'Pol exits the lift onto the bridge, stopping when she finds Lieutenant O'Malley sitting in the Captain's chair.

T'POL  
Where is Captain Archer,  
Lieutenant O'Malley?

O'MALLEY  
I don't know, ma'am. He hasn't  
reported this morning. I've been  
trying to hail him, but he's not responding.

T'POL  
Resume command, Lieutenant. I'm  
going to check his quarters. I'll  
report if I find anything.

O'MALLEY  
Yes, ma'am.

INT. HALL - MOMENTS LATER

T'Pol comes around the bend to find a small crowd outside Archer's quarters. Hoshi is pounding on the door.

HOSHI  
Captain Archer?  
(beat)  
Captain Archer, open the door. Please!

T'POL  
What's wrong?

Hoshi looks up at her.

HOSHI  
I don't know. I keep hearing him  
screaming about something.

T'Pol steps up to the door and enters the security code. Porthos bolts out the door. Hoshi scoops him up in her arms before he gets away and follows T'Pol into Archer's quarters. T'Pol reaches out, turning on the lights. Archer is crouched in the corner, holding his arms. He's muttering incoherently and shivering. T'Pol turns and taps the companel.

T'POL  
T'Pol to Doctor Phlox.

PHLOX' COM VOICE

Phlox here.

T'POL  
Captain Archer has succumbed to  
hallucinations. Report to his  
quarters immediately.

T'Pol walks over and crouches down in front of Archer.

T'POL  
Captain, can you hear me?

Archer doesn't respond. Reed pushes through the crowd into Archer's quarters, crouching down on Archer's other side.

Hoshi sits down on the bed with Porthos, hugging him to her and talking quietly to him. She hears something hit the floor and looks down, but sees nothing.

The MARBLE rolls along the bed, hits a corner and rolls out the open door unnoticed.

INT. HALL

It rolls down the hall, bouncing over a small bump. Ensign Cutler spots it and crouches to catch it. She looks it over as she walks down the hall.

CUT TO:

INT. SICKBAY

Phlox is making Cutler comfortable. She is ranting about not wanting to fall from some great height. Phlox bumps her hand and hears something clatter to the floor. He turns, spotting the MARBLE rolling away. He catches it and holds it up. Phlox smiles.

PHLOX  
Humans and their sentimental bits.

Phlox's smile fades when he sees a separation line along the hemisphere of the MARBLE. He holds it up, looking closer at the marble. He takes a hold of both halves, turning them. His excellent vision sees a tiny needle flash out, prick his skin and disappear inside. Seconds later he finds himself standing over a patient in a surgery room.

INT. SURGICAL ROOM (HALLUCINATION)

Phlox is performing open-heart surgery on a patient. There is a Denobulan nurse assisting him. The door of the room flies open and Phlox looks up. The door is filled with bright light, but no one is standing there.

DENOBULAN NURSE  
(panic)  
DOCTOR!

Phlox turns his head, seeing he's cut through an artery and the patient is bleeding to death. He begins shouting orders as he works quickly to stop the bleeding.

T'POL (O.C.)  
Doctor Phlox.

Phlox continues working feverishly to save the patient.

T'POL (O.C.)  
Doctor Phlox, it is a  
hallucination. You have not  
harmed anyone.

Phlox looks down at the patient under his hands and the blood that has covered everything.

T'POL (O.C.)  
Whatever you are seeing, Doctor  
Phlox, it is a hallucination. It is not real.

Phlox sits up, finding himself on the Sickbay floor with T'Pol crouched beside him.

INT. SICKBAY

Phlox gets to his feet.

T'POL  
What were you hallucinating?

PHLOX  
I made a mistake in surgery and  
the patient was bleeding to  
death. It is perhaps my worst fear.

Phlox suddenly stands, looking around Sickbay.

T'POL  
What are you looking for?

PHLOX  
A metallic black round item.  
Ensign Cutler had it in her hand  
when she was brought in and it  
dropped out of her hand when I  
bumped it. Do you see it?

The two search Sickbay.

T'POL  
I do not see the item. Is it important.

PHLOX  
I fear it may be very important.

Phlox trots over to a terminal, pulling up a document.

T'POL  
Do you need any assistance, Doctor Phlox?

PHLOX  
(shakes his head)  
No. I have to confirm something.  
Thank you Sub-Commander.

T'Pol leaves Sickbay. Phlox quickly scans the screen. Phlox reaches out and taps a companel.

PHLOX  
Phlox to Commander Tucker.

TRIP  
Tucker here.

PHLOX  
Report to Sickbay immediately.

TRIP  
I'm on my way.

Phlox grabs a PADD and sets up two chairs at the back of Sickbay. He smiles when Trip walks up to him.

PHLOX  
Please, have a seat.

Phlox motions to the chair. Trip sits down.

TRIP  
What's wrong?

PHLOX  
I need to ask you a couple  
questions about your hallucinations.

Trip looks down, his posture tensing.

PHLOX  
I need to know what you were doing before the hallucinations started.

Trip is caught off guard.

TRIP  
Before they started?

PHLOX  
Yes. What were you doing prior to  
the onset of the hallucinations?

TRIP  
I was on my way to the lab.

PHLOX  
Were you doing anything? Talking  
to anyone? Thinking about  
something in particular? Perhaps  
you were carrying something.

Trip thinks about the questions.

TRIP  
I had a marble I'd found in  
the hall, besides that I can't  
think of anything else. Why?

PHLOX  
Do you recall what you were doing  
with the marble?

Trip leans forward on his legs, looking down.

TRIP  
I was tossing it. It reminded me  
of a shooter marble.

PHLOX  
A shooter marble?

TRIP  
(nods)  
Yeah. I played marbles a lot as a  
kid. We had these big marbles  
that we called shooter marbles.  
It looked like this one I really  
liked. All black with a metallic  
shine to it.

MONTAGE – PHLOX INTERVIEWING CREWMEN

Phlox jots notes down and looks up at Hoshi.

PHLOX  
And did you notice anything  
unusual about this marble?

HOSHI  
Other than the color not really.

Phlox jots notes down and returns his gaze to Archer.

PHLOX  
Did it do anything unusual? Was  
there an odor or make a noise, perhaps?

Archer starts to shake his head but stops. He looks to the side.

ARCHER  
Yes. There was. It turned.

Phlox changes screens on the PADD before his next question. He looks up at Cutler sitting across from him in the mess hall.

PHLOX  
What turned?

CUTLER  
The marble. The two halves turned  
and I could have sworn I saw a  
needle or something close to it  
spring out and prick my skin.

The companel next to Phlox beeps. Phlox jots notes down.

END MONTAGE

INT. SICKBAY

He looks up at Archer.

PHLOX  
Captain, you need to ask Hoshi to  
alert the crew to this marble  
looking device.

ARCHER  
You think that's what's causing it?

The companel beeps again.

PHLOX  
I have had twelve cases in the  
last twenty-six hours, Captain.  
Every single one remembers this  
marble. Yes. I believe it is.

ARCHER  
I'll have her alert the crew.

Phlox waits for Archer to leave before answering the companel.

PHLOX  
Phlox here.

NOVAKOVICH'S COM VOICE  
Doc, get down to astrometrics  
fast! T'Pol's lost it!

Phlox grabs a case and leaves Sickbay at a run.

CUT TO:

INT. ENEMY SHIP (HALLUCINATION)

T'Pol is backing away from alien strangers. She swings her fists at them to ward them off. They move away from her, but do not stop advancing on her.

PHLOX (O.C.)  
T'Pol.

T'Pol searches for Phlox's face, but there is no familiar face among those in front of her.

T'POL  
Doctor Phlox?

PHLOX (O.C.)  
T'Pol, I need you to--

T'Pol can't hear the rest of what he says. It becomes muted and distorted. The faces wave as if standing behind heat waves coming off of sand.

PHLOX (O.C.)  
We're going to have to hold her  
down. I have to get this in her  
neck and she's going to fight.

T'POL  
DOCTOR PHLOX!

The aliens attack T'Pol, pinning her to the ground. She savagely fights back, clawing and striking out at all of them. She manages to get lose and gets to her feet. She backs into a wall and spins.

EXT. BARREN LAND (HALLUCINATION)

The land is barren of even brush. It's a wasteland with blowing dirt and sand, high plateaus and deep canyons. The sky is a strange color.

T'POL  
HELLO!

There is no reply or echo.

T'POL (V.O.)  
You're alone. You're all alone.

Something throws T'Pol to the ground from behind. She turns, finding the aliens again.

INT. ENEMY SHIP (HALLUCINATION)

In an instant T'Pol becomes aggressive, screaming at her attackers in Vulcan. One jabs something against her neck and she loses consciousness.

INT. ASTROMETRICS LAB

Phlox, Ensign NOVAKOVICH and five other crewmen are slowly and painfully move away from an unconscious T'Pol. They are all nursing injuries T'Pol inflicted on them.

PHLOX  
Did she have a marble before this happened?

NOVAKOVICH  
Yeah. She was scanning it before  
she lost it.

PHLOX  
Do you know where the scanner is  
that she was using?

Novakovich gets up and retrieve a broken scanner, handing it to Phlox.

NOVAKOVICH  
It was her first weapon. She  
knocked Erin out with it.

PHLOX  
That won't be of much use. Can  
you assist me in getting her to Sickbay?

Novakovich and Phlox pick up T'Pol and carry her.

INT. HALL

The MARBLE bounces along the baseboard, rolling unnoticed past several crewmen.

HOSHI'S COM VOICE  
Attention all crewmen. Be on the  
lookout for a metallic black marble.

The MARBLE comes to a vent cover and rolls into it. It begins rolling and rattling along the ventilation system, rolling past several vent covers.

HOSHI'S COM VOICE  
The device has caused several  
crewmembers to hallucinate.

The MARBLE rolls to the edge of a vent cover and for moment teeters back and forth on the edge. Below the vent Reed is sitting at a monitor doing work.

HOSHI'S COM VOICE  
Do not handle this device. Alert  
Doctor Phlox immediately.

The MARBLE falls over the edge of the vent.

INT. ARMORY

Reed feels something hit his head. Instinctively he catches the MARBLE and closes his hand around it, feeling the two halves move. A second before the onset of his hallucination he drops the marble into his hip pocket.

CUT TO:

INT. SICKBAY - MOMENTS LATER

Two crewmen run in carrying Reed. Reed is screaming and acting as if he's drowning.

Phlox hurries to restrain Reed. He brushes Reed's pocket and hears something hit the floor. He looks down, seeing the MARBLE rolling across the floor.

PHLOX  
(to the two crewmen)  
Restrain him.

Phlox grabs a Petri dish and a tong like instrument. He follows the MARBLE across Sickbay. It stops rolling and he crouches down, carefully picking it up and placing it in the petri dish. Phlox carries it to a containment unit and places the marble in it.

Phlox walks to a companel and taps it.

PHLOX  
Phlox to Commander Tucker.

TRIP  
Trip here.

PHLOX  
Commander, can you report to  
Sickbay. I've found the device  
but I think I'll need your  
mechanical abilities to pull it apart.

TRIP  
Be there in a jiffy, Doc.

Phlox returns to Reed's side. Reed struggles against the restraints, screaming for someone to help him. Phlox looks up, watching Hoshi and Archer walk in. Hoshi walks up to Reed's bedside, taking his hand and reassures him that everything will be all right. Archer stays out of Phlox's way, but remains close by.

FADE OUT.

END OF ACT THREE


	5. Act Four

ACT FOUR

FADE IN:

MONTAGE – REED'S MEMORY

A. Reed pats Hoshi's arm. She's caught in her hallucination of dying in pain. Reed assures her she'll pull through this and he won't leave her until it's over. She whispers her thanks, gripping his hand when he offers it to her. Archer walks up to the opposite side of the bio-bed, giving her his hand. Reed looks down.

B. Reed stands at Trip's bedside, listening to his friend beg not to be left to die alone. Reed quietly reassures Trip he isn't leaving. Reed glances back when he hears the Sickbay doors open and looks back down.

C. Reed is crouched beside Archer in Archer's quarters, on hand on Archer's shoulder. Archer is muttering about the crew turning on him. Reed repeatedly assures him that the crew would never turn on him. The room goes black.

D. Reed is thrashing at the water, screaming for help and slowly drowning with each breath. He sinks below the water's surface, looking up as he reaches for the surface.

E. Reed sees the marble in his hand that changes into a phase pistol that he raises to take aim.

F. Reed, with five other crewmen, aim phase pistols at the MARBLE sitting on a stand at the opposite end of a storage bay. They fire and destroy the MARBLE in a small shower of sparks. Reed smiles gratefully, turning his head to look at the other crewmen.

G. Reed lets out a content sigh, looking at each of his fellow crewmen and friends. His eyes stop on Archer.

END MONTAGE

INT. BRIDGE

The bridge is quiet. Everyone is busy with work and no one is talking. Archer looks up and notices Reed is watching him. Reed offers a smile that Archer returns. Reed turns back to work and Archer looks back at the PADD in his hand.

MAYWEATHER  
Captain, I'm detecting a ship approaching. It's a Klingon Raptor.

Archer looks up at the view monitor.

HOSHI  
They're hailing us, sir.

Archer almost successfully hides his anxiety and nervousness.

ARCHER  
Full halt, Travis. Respond, Hoshi.

HOSHI  
(swallows hard)  
Are you sure... sir?

ARCHER  
Yes.

Hoshi looks back at T'Pol for a second opinion. Archer looks at Hoshi.

ARCHER  
Hoshi, I gave you an order.

Hoshi turns back to her controls and opens a channel.

Archer stands in front of the Captain's chair. A Klingon Captain appears on the view monitor.

ARCHER  
Can we help you?

KLINGON CAPTAIN  
You have something of ours.  
Return it immediately.

ARCHER  
What do we have that you think is yours?

KLINGON CAPTAIN  
A round device.

The Klingon Captain holds his hand up to show the size of the device, which is the size of the MARBLE.

KLINGON CAPTAIN  
It is colored--

ARCHER  
Metallic black. It contains a  
psychotomimetic drug mixed with  
an unidentified drug that stimulates  
hallucinations based on the  
victim's worst fear. Correct?

KLINGON CAPTAIN  
We demand it returned.

ARCHER  
Sorry, I can't do that.

Archer walks to stand next to helm.

KLINGON CAPTAIN  
If you do not return it--

ARCHER  
We destroyed it.

The Klingon Captain springs to his feet.

KLINGON CAPTAIN  
YOU WHAT?

Archer lays a shaking hand on the helm. Trip rises to his feet behind Archer.

TRIP  
Our captain ordered that damned  
device destroyed! What the hell  
was it supposed to be used for?

T'Pol crosses the bridge to stand at Archer's right hand side.

T'POL  
And what is your exact need for  
such a powerful drug that  
stimulates human and Vulcan's  
worst fears? Now that we know  
whom this device belongs to, it  
raises further questions that I'm  
sure the Vulcan High Command will  
be asking the Klingon High Council.

KLINGON CAPTAIN  
It's classified. Return it immediately.

MAYWEATHER  
Perhaps you're hard of hearing!  
We destroyed the device. We used  
it for target practice.

REED  
And whatever you intended on  
using it for, it wouldn't be wise  
to implement it. You can be  
assured we won't keep that device a secret.

KLINGON CAPTAIN  
If we meet again I will--

T'POL  
We will not allow you the  
opportunity to fire on us before  
we open fire unprovoked.

The Klingon Captain opens his mouth to respond.

HOSHI  
Oh, I think our conversation is over.

Hoshi closes the channel. Mayweather works the controls.

MAYWEATHER  
Going to warp three and resuming  
course, Captain. The Klingon ship  
is not pursuing.

There is a brief, uncomfortable silence.

MAYWEATHER  
Speaking for all of us, Captain,  
I hope that we didn't handle that wrong.

ARCHER  
You all handled it perfectly.  
Return to your duties.

Archer returns to his chair. The bridge crew returns to their duties without another word.

FADE OUT.

END OF ACT FOUR

**WGA # 901930  
**Written by A. Rhea King


End file.
